Need help: I am trying to mod some oval reverse lights to be brighter.

I recently purchased an aftermarket bumper for my truck. The bumper included reverse lights built into it. They are the 6" oval grommet style lights you see on the back of big rig trailers. The lights are not very bright in comparison to the 55w Hellas that I had to remove to install the bumper.

I have tried to find a brighter replacement for this style light, but so far I have had no luck. I have found some LED versions, but I am leery of their brightness (I actually purchased a pair, and they were pitiful). The lights that came with the bumper are sealed, but I did find another with replaceable bulbs. It used the 3157 bulb.

Here is my question: I am trying to find a way to get much better light, but am confined to using this 6" oval grommet style light. I don't care if they are incan or leds, I just want a much brighter light. What would be my best solution?

Also, does anyone know if there is a higher output bulb that will plug into the same harness as a 3157?

3157, or 3156? The '57 should have a low and a high filament for a marker/parking light and a turn signal. The '56 should have JUST a high filament, which is all you'd need for reverse lights. I'd go with the replaceable bulb 6" ovals and get some of these, along with the appropriate wiring and a relay so you don't burn up your factory wiring.

It's too bad you don't have 4" round reverse lights, halogen sealed beams in that size are common. I see them a lot on garbage, tow, and work trucks.

:buddies:

Diesel_Bomber said:

3157, or 3156? The '57 should have a low and a high filament for a marker/parking light and a turn signal. The '56 should have JUST a high filament, which is all you'd need for reverse lights. I'd go with the replaceable bulb 6" ovals and get some of these, along with the appropriate wiring and a relay so you don't burn up your factory wiring.

It's too bad you don't have 4" round reverse lights, halogen sealed beams in that size are common. I see them a lot on garbage, tow, and work trucks.

:buddies:

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Thanks for the help. Good idea on those bulbs. I have seen them before but totally forgot about them. Here is the link to the replaceable bulb versions. It says 3157....

http://www.truck-lite.com/webapp/wc...10001&storeId=10001&productId=23672&langId=-1


Do you see any issue with using 3156's? I already have independent wiring and relay so that will not be an issue.

DuckhunterInTN said:

Do you see any issue with using 3156's?

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Doesn't the 3157 have two contacts on the bottom of the bulb instead of one, and the lugs on the side at different distances from the end of the bulb? They wouldn't be interchangeable except by force.

DuckhunterInTN said:

Thanks for the help. Good idea on those bulbs. I have seen them before but totally forgot about them. Here is the link to the replaceable bulb versions. It says 3157....

http://www.truck-lite.com/webapp/wc...10001&storeId=10001&productId=23672&langId=-1


Do you see any issue with using 3156's? I already have independent wiring and relay so that will not be an issue.

Click to expand...

D'oh, you had Hella backup lights in your old bumper, I should have realized your wiring would have already been upgraded.

I only see two wires in the picture in your link. Obviously there needs to be three wires to control two filaments independently. It's possible that it uses a 3157 bulb and doesn't use the low filament(or uses the low and high together), but I see no technical or economic reason why it would.

I'd bet money it's a 3156 bulb regardless of what the text says. Please keep us updated.

:buddies: